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Thread: January in Europe?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    428

    January in Europe?

    In general (???) has January been good for snow the last few seasons?

    Have to be in Europe late December, and am deciding whether to extend for the month of January to ski.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Leysin, Switzerland
    Posts
    1,262
    I'd say it is when it all starts for real.
    We get snow earlier, and Jan is usually a fine month.
    But, maybe not the best month.
    Ski, Bike, Climb.
    Resistence is futile.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Posts
    165
    Went on a 2 week trip, got nailed with snow in Interlaken and Kitzbuhl mid-January last year. It was the first good storm for kitzbuhl...the windy areas had some rocks and grass.
    Livin the moon time.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    7,581
    really it depends where in europe you are talking about. you need to narrow your scope down a bit. austria can be very different from switzerland to south france. one can be on, the others off.

    in switz, january seems to have been a bit dry for the last several seasons with a minor dump happening once every two weeks or totally dry. it can be bitter cold and it could also be warm and springy. but very few people on the mountain, which is quite nice. if you are into touring, there is always that option when the snow is poor. and the touring here is pretty spectacular.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Chamonix
    Posts
    1,019
    January... I think it's tough to generalize... it will be cold, that's a near certainty. Will it snow? Luck of the draw. I think it's no worse or better than Feb/Mar/Apr.

    Keep in mind the best touring is glaciated and in January it's pretty certain not to yet have enough crevasse coverage yet. Anything off the Aiguille du Midi won't yet be really doable on a mass scale.

    Spring (Mar/Apr) is probably the best season just because you're more assured of a good base... some Januarys are pretty bare.

    All in all, probably worth it! The last two seasons I've gotten several amazing powder days just after the new year...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    4

    Talking

    this year we had a lot of snow in december (France) until mid jan..and next nothing but there was enough to ski anyway
    on the 15th of feb a lot of snow came(it's still snowing now..even if it's not the same quality of snow as in jan or feb you can continue to ski)
    generally it's a good time in Europe, but if I were you I woulf go in feb


    i can show u pics if you tell me how to do it

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